HONG KONG – Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) has begun reconfiguring the North and South departures/immigration halls in Terminal 1 (T1).
In future, travellers will clear security before completing immigration formalities.
Scheduled for completion by the third quarter of 2009, the HK$90 million project will increase the number of security channels from 18 to 32.
Henry Ma, the Airport Authority’s general manager of terminals, said, “HKIA will soon serve 50 million passengers each year.
“During reconfiguration, the departure/immigration halls will include an additional security channel. We’re also deploying extra staff to ensure the smooth flow of passengers.â€
The expansion of the departure/immigration halls is part of a HK$4.5 billion enhancement programme that began in 2006 and will be completed in phases by 2011.
In T1, the programme will consolidate the two arrivals/immigration halls into a single, more spacious hall; add new transfer desks, immigration counters and security channels for arriving and transit passengers; and expand the airport’s baggage handling capacity.
A new North Satellite Concourse is under construction and will enter service by 2009.
